Han Seung Soo to be South Korea's next PM

South Korea's former foreign minister Han Seung Soo has been nominated by president-elect Lee Myung Bak to be his first prime minister on Monday.

Han, 71, currently special envoy on climate change for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is a career politician who has served as as finance minister, commerce minister, ambassador to the US and presidential chief of staff.

The former three-term legislator was also elected president of the UN General Assembly in 2001.

Lee was decisively elected in December as a conservative opposition candidate and is to be sworn in on February 25 as the new head of state.

Han must undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing before taking office as new prime minister.